Bhaag Milkha Bhaag review: "Farhan will sweep the awards!!!"

It's almost a fortnight since the Farhan starrer "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" has hit the screens & though I wasnt keen to write this review as it's too late for one...a couple of my friends coaxed me to do so. The question that everyone has is whether this was indeed a befitting tribute to Milkha Singh, the greatest athlete that our country has produced. Well as always there are mixed reactions to it & this is how I felt about the film.

1960 Rome Olympics, the finalists of the 400m has been called out & the person who garnered the maximum cheer was Milkha Singh (Farhan Akhtar)...after all he was the one of the favourites to win the gold following his World Record performance a couple of months back. But alas... it was not to be & to this day India's search for an elusive Olympic athletic medal continues. A couple of months passes by, before Milkha Singh is summoned by Nehru (Dilip Tahil) to lead an athletic contingent to Pakistan on the invitation of Pakistan President General Ayub Khan. But Milkha Singh denies to take up the honour & the authorities seeks the help of his coach, Guruji (Pawan Malhotra) to coax him to take up the challenge. What subsequently follows is a brief peek into the making of Milkha Singh through the narration of Guruji.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra is finally back after a hiatus of 4 years to calling the shots & must be hoping that he has churned out something far superior than the mediocre "Delhi 6". Well he has done a decent job with the help of Prasoon Joshi's writing skills...but it's nowhere near the benchmark that he had set with "Rang De Basanti". Most of the athletic sequences are grippingly shot which is amply supported by the BGM of Shankar Ehsaan Loy. However, an overdosage of melodramatic sequences & songs pretty much hampers the flow making it over run by almost half an hour. 

There is just one word to describe Farhan Akhtar's performance...BRILLIANT!!! He has done an outstanding job of getting into the skin of the character & even chiseled his torso and mannerisms to be as similar as possible to the legend. In all probability, he will sweep all the awards unless someone comes up with an inspired performance in the latter half of this year.  In addition, Divya Dutta, Pawan Malhotra & Yograj Singh (Yuvraj's dad) were equally impressive & has done total justice to their roles. Inspite of a small role, Sonam Kapoor also gets noticed.

Verdict: The film is far from perfect & there is no doubt that the length will act as a deterrent to many considering the fact that it doesnt necessarily add as much substance as expected. Though the box office collections arent as swift as the Flying Sikh, it's slowly gathering pace. Whatever it is, check it out for Farhan Akhtar!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

Regards...Ben

D-Day review: "Rishi & Co. rocks in this impressive espionage flick!!!"

Dawood Ibrahim, the most wanted terrorist of India has been fiercely pursued by our Government for years to no avail. So much so, his life has been fascinated to the extent that myths & folklores were being crafted. In recent years, Bollywood has been so fixated by him that movies inspired by his life has been churned out with surprising regularity be it "Company", "D Company" or "Once Upon a Time in Mumbai" The latest to join this bandwagon is Nikhil Advani's "D Day", whose promos & Rishi Kapoor's uncanny similarity to the Don has been the talk of the town.

Iqbal Seth aka Goldman (Rishi Kapoor), the most wanted terrorist of India is on his way to a 5 star hotel in Karachi to attend the wedding of his son. Inspite of foolproof security arrangements by the Pakistani authorities, the Indian undercover agents manages to wreck havoc at the venue but falls short of their plans. Their mission code named "Operation Goldman", the brainchild of RAW Chief Aswini Rao (Nassar) was to kidnap Iqbal Seth & bring him to justice in India. Considering the sensitive nature of the Indo-Pak relationship, the Indian authorities vehemently denies any covert activities in Karachi. In short, the Indian authorities washed their hands off their undercover agents. Without any support, can the team ever make it back to India with or without completion of their mission???

Nikhil Advani is always known to make safe movies with huge stars has taken a detour this time around, with a slicky action flick & sort the help of a set of talented yet uncommon mix of actors. Along with Ritesh Shah & Suresh Nair, he has come with a captivating script which draws inspiration from real life events as well. Equally impressive were the action sequences choreographed by Tom Struthers & Tushar Ray's visuals. Shankar Ehsaan Loy has done a praise worthy job with "Alvida" being the pick among the lot. Though the film has its own share of melodrama & predictable climax, there is no denying that it still makes for an enjoyable watch.

Frankly speaking, I am absolutely floored by Rishi Kapoor's performance. With each passing film he seems to be rediscovering himself & I am damn sure no one else could have done the role of the dreaded terorist with as much ease & flair. Irffan Khan's work doesnt need much description as he was equally fantastic playing the role of the family man & agent imparting a sense of vulnerability & grittiness at the same time. Arjun Rampal has come up with one of his best performances to date while Huma Qureshi inspite of a small role shows she is here to stay and Shruti Hasan impresses for once. 

Verdict: The gritty nature of the film & Ramzan season might not make it an overwhelming favourite at the box office. But the film is definitely bound to garner positive word of mouth which should do good for the film in multiplexes. In short, watch it for the fantastic performances!!!

Rating: 3.25/5

Regards...Ben

ABCD review: "Hilarious but with a shaky latter half!!!"

With the Anti Piracy cell & Producers' Association having taken a decision that Malayalam films wont be releasing in Bangalore on the same day as Kerala, it came as a huge blow to many including me. So that meant Malayalam releases has been far & few since the past one month.  Ever since Martin Prakkat's "ABCD" has hit the screens in Kerala, it has been garnering positive responses which increased my curiosity. Thankfully, it released here yesterday & hoping that it is able to satiate my expectations.

Johns (Dulquer Salman) & his cousin, Korah (Jacob Gregory) were rich spoilt brats born & brought up in US whose sole aims in life were to bust money & make merry. Things take a turn when they are sent packing to Kerala by Dr. Issac, John's dad (Lalu Alex) following a tiff with a couple of Negroes. What they believed to be a month long holiday in God's own country, was in fact Dr. Issac's plan to make them realize the value of money. So how will these brats deal with a life bereft of luxuries to which they were accustomed to???

After a dream debut with Mammookka in the blockbuster "Best Actor", Martin Prakkat is back to calling the shots with the legend's son in his latest venture. It wouldnt be prudent to accept the fact that Martin has yet again produced a winner thanks to a hilarious screenplay courtesy Sooraj Neeraj, Naveen Bhaskar & Martin himself. However, Sooraj's script was pretty shaky in the latter half and meanders without much purpose. It would have been much better off if they had made it crisper. As for other technical aspects, Jomon's visuals was impressive as always while Gopi Sundar's music was average at best though 'Johny mone Johny" rendered by Dulquer was catchy.

Dulquer was an absolute natural as Johns while Jacob Gregory was on absolute fire with his humorous one liners & mannerisms. A special mention also has to go the costume designer & hair stylist of Gregory which did impart the required impact. However, Gregory's accent wasnt quite upto the mark but then that could have been the reason why I felt it so funny. This film also marked the entry of theatre artist, Aparna Gopinath who was fantastic & should be the one to look out for in the future.  

Verdict:  In all probability, this should march its way to being a superhit thanks to the hilarious situations and combinations between Dulquer & Gregory which more or less makes up for the slackness in the latter half. In short, dont miss it & have a good laugh!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

Regards...Ben

Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani review: "Cool rom com which will be lapped up by the youth!!!"

2013 is almost half way through & Bollywood hasn't had much of an encouraging start except for the surprise blockbuster in "Aashiqui 2". But the trade pundits are predicting that a blockbuster is just round the corner & by the looks of "Yeh Jaawani Hai Deewani", we might just have a winner. The promos looks hip & the pairing of Ranbir-Deepika are likely to generate attention considering their past; not to forget that the shots are called by the promising Ayan Mukherjee. So will it create a ruckus at the box office???

Naina (Deepika Padukone) is a medical student whose whole life has always been about devouring the books, to the extent that her life was as boring as batshit. That's when she bumps into her school-mate Aditi (Kalki Kochelin) & gets to know that she is off to Manali with her closest buddies Kabir & Avi (Aditya Roy). Kabir aka Bunny (Ranbir Kapoor) believes in living life to the fullest with no strings attached & his dream was to embark on a world wide tour. Naina has a blast with the three of them, little realizing that with time she would fall for Bunny, though they were like chalk & cheese. But will Bunny reciprocate her love???

Ayan Mukherjee had shown immense promise with "Wake up Sid" & he has definitely lived up to expectations with his latest venture. Though the script moves along predictable lines, it doesnt actually test our patience. As a matter of fact, the practicality of relationships is showcased pretty well...the details of which if I reveal here will be a spoiler. However, the film is a shade too long & would have better off if they had trimmed it. Pritam was on absolute fire with almost all the songs being top notch especially "Badtameez Dil"...not to forget the brilliant choreography of the former along with "Dilli Wala Girlfriend" & "Ghagra". Special mention also has to be given to Manikantan's visuals as it were picture perfect.

Ranbir Kapoor has been the toast of the industry since "Rockstar" released & he has once again shown that he is the best among the younger lot by more than a fair distance. Post "Cocktail", Deepika has honed her acting skills & she has done a decent job here. Kalki was the perfect choice for the tom-boyish character while Aditya has continued the good work of "Aashiqui 2".

Verdict: The film will take a thunderous opening & in all probability will breach the 100 crore club with ease. In short, give it a try if you love rom coms as it's definitely one of the best to have come out in that genre!!!

Rating: 2.75/5

Regards...Ben

Neram review: "Not a judicious use of time as it entertains only in patches!!!"

Nowadays, one of the most popular means of generating interest in a movie is to post a catchy song on youtube & expect it to go viral. This is exactly what Alphone Putharen did with his debut venture "Neram", as the song "Pistah" inspired by Jagathy's nonsensical lyrics from "Kinnaram" took over the social network by storm. What remains to be seen is whether there is more to the film other than the song???

Mathew (Nivin Pauly) is an IT professional who has been running from pillar to pillar in search of a job, only to be turned back citing lack of experience. In order to escape the brunt of the financial crisis, he is forced to take up loan from the cut throat money lender Vatti Raja (Simhaa). But with time, he struggles to repay the loan putting him at the mercy of the goon. To add to his misery, his affair with Jeena (Nazriya Nazim) irks her father Johnny Kutty (Lalu Alex) who goes to the extent of filing a complaint against him at the police station. Now he has to escape from the clutches of Vatti Raja & pacify Johnny Kutty as well. Will the good times ever return???

Alphonse Puthren is well known for his music video "Nenjodu Cherthu" which featured the same lead pair of Nivin & Nazriya. For his debut venture,he has chosen the genre of black comedy which however wasnt able to pack a punch as he would have liked. The major flaw of the film is that there is hardly anything of substance or thrilling in the first half but there is no denying that the latter half did make amends to a credible degree. In addition to the latter half, the film had a few other bright spots such as the chemistry between the lead pairs, "Pistah", the catchy pencil sketched finish posters & the sly dialogues muttered time & again. As far as the performances goes, the lead pairs & the supporting cast especially Shammi Thilakan has done a decent job.

Verdict: Thanks to "Pistah", the film should attract a decent crowd. However, black comedy which is kinda experimental in our industry & to add to that, the lack of vibe in the first half will be the major drawback for the film. In short, check it out on TV & that too the latter half!!!

Rating: 2.25/5

Regards...Ben

Mumbai Police review: "Hats off to the entire team for a bold treatment & brilliant execution!!!"

It's been quite some time since I have written reviews which is partially due to my busy schedule & also due to a dearth of good movies. But ever since the trailers of "Mumbai Police" has been beaming on the screens, I was eager to watch it as the promos looked promising. With Prithvi going from strength to strength with back to back hits & Bobby-Sanjay making a strong come back with "Ayalum Njaanum Thammil" after a forgetful "Casanova", the expectations are nigh high. But has Roshan Andrews overcome the disastrous effects of "Casanova"???

Antony Moses (Prithviraj), the daring ACP of Ernakulam has met with an accident which has rendered him amnesic. The gravity of the situation dawns upon him when he is informed by his superior & confidante, Commissioner Farhan Aman (Rahman), that he was on the verge of nabbing the culprit behind the murder of their close buddy, ACP Aryan John Jacob (Jayasurya). Despite pressure from the higher authorities, Farhan entrusts Antony to solve the case after all he believed that if Antony could have solved it once then he would be able to do it again. Now it's upto Antony to start piecing the puzzle that he had solved previously. But the more he delved into the case, the more intriguing it became.

Bobby-Sanjay has come up with an absolute beauty of a script which has all the elements of suspense which has been kept taut throughout the entire length of the film. Though the climax might come as a rude smack on the face & a touch uncomfortable for quite a few, I totally applaud their efforts. Roshan Andrews has shaken off the "Casanova" blues & has done absolute justice to the script by coming up with an impressive execution. Equally notable were Diwakar's visuals, Gopi's BGM & Mahesh Narayan's editing. 

If at all, there was someone who could have done this role so convincingly in Malayalam...I dont think I can think beyond Prithviraj. First & foremost, he has to be applauded for his guts to choose this role & secondly, for his brilliant portrayal of Antony Moses both pre & post amnesia making it appear as chalk and cheese. The rest of the cast also deserves praises be it Rahman for his subtlety, Riaz Khan  (who I actually liked for the first time & wished he had a bigger role) & Jayasurya.

Verdict: Thanks to the catchy promos along with the credible cast & crew, the film should have an impressive opening. Though the climax might not be to the liking of the families, I still believe positive word of mouth should boost the collections. As far my opinion goes, it's an effort that needs to be applauded by one & all, so make sure you watch it without fail!!!

Rating: 4.75/5

Regards...Ben

Red Wine review: "Pretty bland tasted wine!!!"

It's been quite some time since we had a lead actor having two releases on the same day & this time around that honour is bestowed upon the supremely talented Fahad Fazil. After having watched the exquisitely  crafted "Amen" on Friday, I wouldnt deny that my curiosity has been aroused to see to how he will perform alongside the legend, Lalettan in Salam Bappu's directorial debut "Red Wine". Will it be a double whammy for Fahad???

Anoop (Fahad Fazil) is the multi faceted, dashing young turk and local committee secretary who is the darling of the masses. But his upright manner has caused him to rub shoulders with quite a few in the wrong manner which eventually leads to his mysterious murder. In comes ACP Ratheesh Vasudevan (Mohanlal) with the intention of nabbing the culprit but soon realises that it has been orchestrated by some big fishes rather than a mere political rivalry. 

It goes without saying that the main factor which keeps the audience glued in a thriller is the suspense element. Unfortunately, that's where Salam Bappu has been hard done since Noufal Blathur's script doesn't offer anything new except for touching upon some prevalent issues of which we are pretty well versed. Bijibal's music was average though I found the BGM and Ranjan Abraham's editing to be good.

Inspite of the presence of Lalettan, Fahad was projected more as the lead actor & he has done his role brilliantly as always. Frankly speaking, the role barely challenged Lalettan's acting skills and it was as simple as a walk in the park for him. After having done scores of forgettable films, Asif Ali has come up with a credible performance. As for the rest of the cast, each one of them has done their roles well be it T.G Ravi, Saijal Kurup, Mia George etc.

Verdict:  The film will have a fantastic initial but it wont sustain it as it barely offers any credible thrills or suspense.It's definitely not a debacle & wont burn the fingers of the producers. In short, watch it if you have time or else check it out later!!!

Rating: 2.5/5

Regards...Ben